12/01/2017 Spotlight

Snow and ice are affecting parts of the South West tonight.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning that

Gritting lorries are out on the major routes

and some drivers have reported difficult conditions on high ground.

Spotlight's John Henderson is live for us tonight

Andy, yes, slap bang in the middle of Dartmoor, 344 metres high, the

highest pub in the whole of southern England. You would expect snow here,

so it is the case. The big question is, what is it going to be like for

the commute tomorrow morning? A white out on Dartmoor,

if the first snow of the winter giving drivers something to think

about near Princetown. The same road, flashing red

at the highways operations control centre in Exeter,

a place where the weather picture We have 58 gritting lorries out

at the moment around the county's network

and secondary routes, so we are doing additional salting

at the moment. You will have seen some

of them out in the rain. And that has to be done until we get

some salt down and then we will load They will be going out again this

evening and also, tomorrow morning. Because our biggest risk overnight,

is ice. Some of those 58 gritting lorries restocking at a depot into

the none. In Devon, 2000 miles of road will get the treatment, and in

Cornwall, 31 machines will be out all night, covering 25 kilos. The

advice is not to travel unless necessary. But with more sleet and

snow expected in the South West tomorrow, a little advice on how to

have fun in the big freeze. We like people to come out and enjoy the

snow, but remember it is icy, so park sensibly on one side of the

Rose of the emergency services can get through. Stick to the moorland,

not in people's field because pregnant ewes at this time of year,

and that will be appreciated. But that will be to come, Afterburn an

icy night with temperatures as low as minus three Celsius expected. It

has stopped snowing for the moment. The wind has died off but it is

still originally called up here. The big question again, what are the

roads and cars going to be like tomorrow morning? You expect those

freezing cold temperatures at about 1am. So far, the South West has got

away with it OK, the gritting lorries have been out, not too many

problems on the railways, the airport is not having many problems,

a couple of flights cancelled at Newquay airport, and the gritting

lorries have been busy. The big question is, how they succeeded in

making sure that the roads in the region are OK for the commute to

work tomorrow morning? Don't forget you can keep up-to-date on the snow

and any travel disruption on your BBC local radio station.

Three men have been charged with murder after a man's body

31-year-old Stephen Bull was discovered with knife wounds

in a park in Truro Road yesterday morning.

Three local men, all aged in their 20s,

will appear at Bodmin Magistrates Court tomorrow.

A court has ordered a psychiatric assessment on a man charged

with possessing an explosive substance for an unlawful purpose.

Timothy Holman, who's 41 and from Ilfracombe,

was arrested after a major police operation in the town last month.

Plymouth City Council has suspended work on its road improvement scheme

at Derriford in Plymouth after more white phosphorus grenades were found

Ten World War Two grenades were found and detonated on Tuesday

An extra 14 grenades were found and removed today.

People living near a quarry in Cornwall are worried

about the fresh support today for a ?1 billion tidal lagoon

It's likely Dean Quarry on the Lizard would provide

And they believe the quarry workings could threaten the local environment

The undersea habitat at the Manacles around the Lizard are some

of the richest in UK waters, but according

to some local people, news that a 21st-century tidal

lagoon could now go ahead off Swansea is very bad news indeed

for waters close to Dean Quarry on the Lizard.

There are things that are protected like the spiny lobster, and enemies,

stalker jellyfish. All sorts of stuff is under there,

which is protected. The waters off the manacles

are protected by a Marine Conservation Zone and are popular

with divers from across the world But some divers now

worry about the scale My business will be affected,

because the reason people come here, because not only is it deep water,

it is very clear and beautiful water, and there's a lot

of diversity and a lot of wildlife. And all of that will suffer

if this is to go ahead. Local people have told

us they are concerned about the resumption of blasting

at the quarry. They are also concerned

about the size of the roads And they have issues around

the amount of material that is going to be taken from this

part of the world all the way around According to experts tourism

in the South West is growing more strongly than at any time

since the year 2000. And as our business correspondent

Neil Gallacher reports, one of the reasons prompting more

people to holiday here is fear about terrorism in the Mediterranean

and in cities like London. Midwinter murk at Newquay Airport,

but behind the scenes, Flybe have just announced

an expansion of summer routes, including the return of

Stansted-Newquay. Ryanair will have some new routes,

too, because people increasingly Certainly, a staycation,

over the last few years and going into the future, will continue.

The Poldark effect as it is called. Manchester will grow to over 80,000

passengers this year, that is 10,000 more passengers

they had at the height In Torquay, a slick new development

on the site of the derelict former Palm Court Hotel is a good example

of the strong current People are very happy to say,

"I am taking my holidays in England and the UK," whereas previously,

what was fashionable was always Research shows it is not

the case any more. There is a sense of pride

and I think that pride Something else up influences people

now is the weak pound, although that was not mentioned by as many people.

For whatever reason, bookings or on the up and hospitality businesses

are investing to take advantage. Mark and flava have put ?100,000

into their new cocktail bar in Torquay. -- Matt and Claudia.

How much money did you sink into this place?

Up the coast in Dorset, it is a similar picture.

Bookings are 11% up on last year, and last year was good. And now the

weather forecast. More snow on the way? Good evening. Not everyone is

going to wake up to a scene like this with snow on the rooftops and

trees. But there will be showers coming and going through the night.

It is a bitterly cold day tomorrow, probably the coldest feeling day so

far this winter and there will also be further wintry showers. That

leaves us with a problem with ice. We have heard what it is like over

the moors, what even low down, there's a good chance of seeing ice

tonight and tomorrow, especially after the recent rain and the

showers were seen tonight. And there is a mixture in these showers

drifting out of Ireland and heading towards us. Some are falling as

rain, some as sleet, hail, and even snow. Not many affecting Dorset but

even here later in the night there was a chance of some wintry showers

toning up. All brought in by that Arctic air, and at the moment we

have a stark weather pattern with the pressure over Scandinavia, cold

winds from the north and a big area of high pressure in the middle of

the Atlantic. Showers the com overnight tonight, some of which

will be wintry. More snow over Exmoor and Dartmoor. For the rest of

us, link the clear skies despite the breeze and that means low

temperatures from between -2 up to three Celsius. Tomorrow, lots of

sunshine but every now and then the day will be spoiled by some sharp

showers, a blustery north-west wind and you will have to wrap up warm

because it will be a bitterly cold day. Not too bad on Saturday, milder

and less windy on Sunday. We will have the latest on the weather and

travel on our breakfast bulletins on BBC One tomorrow. From the late

team, good